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Q2 2014 Wisconsin Economic Scorecard Released

The latest Wisconsin Economic Scorecard (WES), a quarterly tracking poll of Wisconsin residents co-sponsored by UWM CUIR, WUWM 89.7, and the WisBusiness.com, has been released. Major findings include:

When asked to specify an ideal minimum wage, the most common answer among Wisconsin voters is $10.00/hour. The median response is $9.00/hour. A state minimum wage hike continues to enjoy support from bipartisan majorities as well as from a majority of voters from business-owning households. (+/- 4.3%)

About 70% of Wisconsin voters support tying future increases in the state minimum wage to the rate of inflation.

When it comes to covering a large projected shortfall in the state transportation fund, state voters prefer delaying construction projects and dislike borrowing money. Introduction of toll roads is a popular but polarizing alternative.

Spending state funds on a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks is supported by just 24% of statewide voters and 34% of Milwaukee-area voters₂. Spending on associated infrastructure is only slightly more popular. (+/- 7.7%)

While evaluations of personal financial situations are unchanged, evaluations of the broader economy, the pace of job creation, and the overall direction of the state all moved in a positive direction during the second quarter of 2014.

Improved net opinion regarding the economic performance and overall direction of the state are driven by changing attitudes among political independents and are visible across all income categories.

The Q2 2014 Wisconsin Economic Scorecard was a random digit dial (RDD) landline/mobile telephone survey of 569 Wisconsin residents, conducted by the CUIR Survey Center at the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee from June 2-5. The sampling margin of error was ±4.0% at the 95% confidence level.